ハイエナ
haiena[ha̠ie̞na̠]
The English word 'hyena' is translated into Japanese as ハイエナ (haiena) or 鬣犬.
Meaning: mammal (noun)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| ハイエナ | haiena | [ha̠ie̞na̠] (narrow) |
| 鬣犬 | tategamiinu | [ta̠te̞ɡa̠mʲiːnɯ̟] (narrow) |
Both forms refer to the hyena mammal.
What does it mean word for word?
The kanji form 鬣犬 literally means 'mane dog', composed of 鬣 (mane) and 犬 (dog).
Which one should you use?
ハイエナ is the most common way to refer to the animal in everyday conversation and media. In contrast, 鬣犬 is a more formal or technical way to write the word, often found in scientific or literary contexts.
How do you pronounce it?
haiena
Did you know?
- The kanji 鬣 used in 鬣犬 is so rare that most native Japanese speakers cannot write it from memory and rely on the katakana version ハイエナ.
- Japanese speakers may use ハイエナ in gaming contexts to describe a player who waits for others to fight and then steals the kill.
- The term 鬣犬 is a direct loan from the Chinese word 鬣狗 (liègǒu), showing how scientific nomenclature in Japan was historically influenced by Chinese characters.
Examples in context
- ハイエナは肉食の動物です。Haiena wa nikushoku no doubutsu desu.The hyena is a carnivorous animal.
- サバンナにはハイエナがいます。Sabanna ni wa haiena ga imasu.There are hyenas in the savanna.
- ハイエナの鳴き声を聞きました。Haiena no nakigoe o kikimashita.I heard the sound of a hyena.
Example conversation
Two friends are watching a nature documentary on TV.
- 蓮 Renあのハイエナ、笑っているみたいだね。Ano haiena, waratte iru mitai da ne.That hyena looks like it's laughing.
- 結衣 Yui本当だ、面白い鳴き声だね。Hontou da, omoshiroi nakigoe da ne.You're right, it's a funny sound.
- 蓮 Ren結衣はハイエナが好き？Yui wa haiena ga suki?Do you like hyenas, Yui?
- 結衣 Yuiいや、ちょっと怖いよ。Iya, chotto kowai yo.No, they're a little scary.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “hyena” translations and entries ハイエナ, 鬣犬, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ハイエナ, 鬣犬, CC BY-SA 4.0.
